All I needed to know I learned in 2009

In the past few weeks my mailbox has been full of Christmas newsletters. My niece is having her first Christmas, my cousin shot three deer (mmm….venison) and another cousin is getting married (congrats Sarah and Dan!).

While some people find these a little self-important, (including myself when I let the cynic out of the basement), I think they serve a great purpose on keeping people up to date on life and also helping to reflect back on the year. It’s with that in mind that I write my 2009 newsletter.

This year has been more about learning than any time I spent in college. I’ve stretched and grown in more ways than I thought were possible. Here are some highlights from what I’ve learned in 2009:

You can wear the same pair of jeans to both coasts of the United States without washing them. A weekend roadtrip to Washington D.C. for no real reason and a plane ride to L.A. to visit an old friend a week later proved that.

Be careful what you wish for. “I wish we could spend one more night in Dublin,” I said to Jean sadly on our last night in Ireland. This led to the following lesson.

Most planning is unnecessary, except when it comes to travel. Oops! Did we miss our trans-Atlantic flight home? That happens. Right?

I guess we better find a hostel for our irresponsible asses.

A lot of times, the right choice is the hardest choice. Saying goodbye to the comfort of my home, my city and my friends was one of the toughest things I’ve ever done. But I haven’t regretted it for a second. Not even when I was really missing Wednesday girls night.

Be confident. Don’t question yourself. There were a few times when I worried I wouldn’t find a job, wouldn’t make friends or would end up in the street like a real crazy lady. But I kept my chin up and believed in myself. Job? Check! Friends? Yes! Crazy lady? Always have been, but I’m still sleeping in a bed!

Make goals. Even if you don’t accomplish them, you gain something in the process. My summer goal was tofinagle a motorcycle ride. I didn’t know anyone I wanted to sit behind on a bike, let alone trust with my life, but that was a minor detail. I ended up taking a great ride the weekend before Labor Day with a guy who would later end up being my unbelievably cool boyfriend. Bonus!

This was one of the first times we hung out. He got less suspicious of my weirdness … later.

Just Be. This isn’t a new one, but it’s one to remember every year. If it weren’t for the time I spent Just Be-ing, I wouldn’t have learned any of the other stuff.

I want to say thank you to those who have read, commented, and thought about commenting on my blog. I appreciate everyone who has invested their time into something I’ve created. It means a lot. Happy holidays!